Choreographies of Gender

Returning to J. L. Austin’s performative speech acts, Foster notes the way in which physical embodiment is absent from these performative articulations. She argues that gender can be understood more effectively as choreography than performance, since gender is ultimately dependent on the use of the body, its gestures and appearance. In addition, Foster asks who, if gender is a performance, has written the script that is being performed? She makes the link between the way choreography is dependent on and responds to a series of rituals and conventions, whereas performance can be read as the individual ability to enact such a script. The performance of the dance itself is based on particular cultural and historical moments and depends on working through gendered connotations of certain movements and body types.